School Resource Officer Asefi continues to build bonds with students, staff

School Resource Officer Mostafa Asefi converses with a Milpitas High School student while walking the campus during lunch break at MHS.

The first time Officer Mostafa Asefi stepped on the MHS campus it was for community safety training. The Tracy, CA native who joined the Milpitas Police force in 2013 returned to Milpitas HS several more times through the years for service calls.

Three years ago, when an opening for a School Resource Officer position opened up at MHS, Asefi jumped on the opportunity and began shadowing former SRO and fellow officer Jonathan Muok.

Asefi was already working with children: on the job through the MPD’s Public Community Relations Department for such events as Recess with a Cop; and on his own conducting private basketball lessons to pass along skills he developed as a high school, collegiate and professional international basketball player.

“The most enjoyment I get is to see kids grow. Kids are like a sponge. You can teach them something, they can take it and get better at it. That’s the kind of feel good story that I like,” said the 37-year-old officer who is in his third year as SRO. “I told myself that I’m going to do it now while I’m young so I can still engage with the students, and it just kind of worked out.”

Officer Asefi walks the MHS campus each day, interacting with students and staff members and offering advice when appropriate. His office door at MHS is always open for anyone to drop in when they want to share anything that is going on in their lives.

“The main responsibility of a School Resource Officer is the safety of the students and the safety of the staff,” said Asefi, who holds that responsibility with reverance along with forming bonds with students and staff, and breaking negative stereotypes about police officers.

“When we are on a 911 call, we are strictly business; we need to make sure you’re safe, you’re not hurt, what the crime is and we’re out of there,” Asefi said. “Having an SRO on campus allows kids to talk to me about personal things that they may not feel comfortable going to the police station to discuss. Just having an officer on campus helps students realize, ‘OK, he’s here to protect us. He’s one of us.’”

Officer Asefi participates in any school or district events that allow him to interact with students and staff on a more personal level. He’s even gone to student club meetings and spoke on current events to offer a police perspective on controversial issues going on around the world “so they can create their own narrative.”

“I’m just appreciative to be here because other school districts have cut their SRO position. Milpitas has held strong. We’ve always had an SRO,” Officer Asefi said. “I think it greatly impacts the community. If kids were going down the wrong path, if they meet the right SRO, it can set them down the right path. I think it is important to have an SRO who is easily accessible to the kids, the staff, and the parents.”

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School Resource Officer Mostafa Asefi, who played basketball in college and overseas, takes a three-point shot during lunch break at Milpitas High School.

Interacting with students to build positive relationships is a goal of School Resource Officer Mostafa Asefi.